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Southern Kymurian Lands
The Southern Kymurian Lands is a region (N.B not a nation) in the Southern half of the Panguillan Continent. For much of its history, it consisted of many Rice Kingdoms, governed over by autonomous "Rice Barons" (Although most could be considered kings by their own right.) The terminology derives from the fact that rice was the staple food crop, although the SKL is heavily dependent on its millions of tons of bamboo, which grows naturally. The Southern Kymurian Lands are home to the first recorded civilisation on Panguilla. Relations with Kymuria The Southern Kymurian Lands has a long history of fighting against foreign invaders, namely Kymuria. Their constant suppression by Kymuria ended with the beginning of the schism era and the expulsion of Kymurian bureaucrats from Hokasa (concluded with the symbolic tearing of the treaty of subjugation). Ancient Kym The Southern Kymurian Lands are thought to be the cradle of civilisation. Ancient Kym is thought to be the first advanced civilisation. Kym came to an end with the arrival of Bai Han and her followers which forced Kym's peoples (the Vy people) northwards into modern day Kymuria, and eastwards onto the Diao and Acalan island chains. Acalan too was established on the principle that they were the true and rightful rulers of all of SKL. Kingdom Of Kymuria SKL quickly fell under the boot of their more powerful northern neighbour, Kymuria. They were incorporated into King Huw's ever expanding realm, and though many refuse to admit it, SKL greatly benefited during the golden age King Huw brought about continent wide. Independence and Invasion Kymuria had long been declining under House Flores, the Kingdom's decline was accelerated by instability in the north and a massive rebellion known as the war of the fields. It was at this time that Acalan launched a full invasion of SKL in an ambitious attempt to establish themselves as the the new power of the south. The inhabitants of SKL initially thought that Acalan's invasion was a liberation attempt, but those hopes quickly subsided after Acalan soldiers began attacking SKL villages and pillaging them. After Acalan ousted the Kymurians they attempted to seize the rest of SKL but were later driven out by SKL separatists who went on to declare independence. Imperial Resurgence Southern Kymurian independence was short lived, after the ascension of the imperial faction in Kymuria under Cyroth the Great, the ambitions of Kymuria (and thus her borders) grew rapidly. The Southern Kymurian Lands were quickly overrun by the new imperial forces under Cyroth during the Great Eastern War and as a result SKL signed the treaty of subjugation, forcing SKL back into the fold. Imperial Decline and Independence After the loss of the eastern colonies thanks to the Al-Danbarr dynasty, the Empire of Kymuria went into a spiralling decline until eventually the whole Imperial system collapsed under King Tyenn I who economically ruined Kymuria. The premiership was convened in Kymuria and the Schism era began, countries seceded from the dying state rapidly and SKL was no exception, they expelled Kymurian representatives in what is known as the "expulsion of the leeches" and would later rip up the treaty of subjugation. The weak Premiership in Kymuria presented a ripe opportunity to settle border disputes and as a result a number of small victories were achieved along the frontier. SKL seized useless land which symbolised their triumph over the Kymurians. Imperial Revival The Premiership was eventually overthrown by an Imperial Coup under the leadership of Theodora. Theodora quickly turned Kymuria around, her imperial faction gave new confidence to the markets and to the people. Theodora made sweeping reforms to the old imperial system established by Cyroth, and created a new and improved Kymurian military to meet the new northern threat. The independent Southern Kymurian Lands had no intention of losing its independence and thus resolved the border issues with Kymuria diplomatically, most land taken was ceded back to Kymuria and they promised not to engage diplomatically with the Zeorin Empire in an exchange for a non-aggression pact. During The Great Panguillan war SKL was encouraged by the Zeorin Empire to provoke Kymuria into a war, although reluctant, SKL did accept various shipments of weaponry from the Empire. While SKL was not expecting anything to arise from such a petty issue the Kymurian Empire viewed it as a breach of the previous treaty and subsequently launched a costly expedition into SKL under General Pinkam Lee. The expedition was ultimately unsuccessful militarily but diplomatically SKL remained neutral for the rest of the war. Political Makeup The political makeup of the Southern Kymurian land's has always been difficult to truly make sense of. Since it's origin point, the region has been a collection of hundreds of tiny "rice kingdoms" each run by whoever owned the rice crops in that area. Each individual state was a Machiavellian confusion of power-grabbing and corporate backstabbing, with little central influence. The first national pressure was exerted from the barony of Hokasa, which had vastly expanded its wealth and influence by conquering local states and levying taxes against them. The "warlord" of Hokasa, Pradja din Hokasai, sent messengers across the land demanding submission to his government in return for stability and greater methods of farming rice and bamboo. Generally, kingdoms in the rougher, hostile northern areas agreed to the proposal, whereas southern and eastern states, whose politics were more corporate than militaristic, refused, however their lack of unity allowed Hokasai to forcibly annex them within a year via infamously brutal "jungle demon" warriors.